"Be faithful in small things
because it is in them that your strength
lies."

-
- Mother Teresa

Inch by Inch, Anything's a Cinch

by Dr. Philip E. Humbert

On a daily basis, most of us wish we could get "just a
few more things done." We have this sense that
other people are more productive, more focused,
more energetic or whatever, and somehow they
manage to squeeze more into their 24-hour day than
we do.

Personally, I don't think they really do. In fact, I've
argued for years that highly successful people tend
to do LESS, rather than more. The key is that they
do the RIGHT things while other (less successful)
people run around doing too many things, including
too many unimportant things. This week, I want to
talk about three critical steps that can help you
become vastly more productive and, as a result,
vastly more successful. Sound good? Here we
go:

1. De-Clutter Your Life. Our lives tend to be
too busy, too stressed and too confusing. To
become more successful you must solve this problem.
It may be hard or difficult, but there really is no
other choice.

If you doubt me on this, take a look at any high
achieving, highly successful person of your own
choosing. Pick a friend or relative who has built a
successful business or quickly moved up the
corporate ladder. I think you'll find a variety of "keys"
to their success, but one thing you will NOT find is
chaos in their lives. I suspect you'll notice they tend
to be well-groomed and well-dressed. They tend to
be punctual, relaxed, calm and clear in their
communications. Typically (though not always) they
keep a clean desk, office, and personal
environment.

Success and confusion simply do not go together. To
achieve more, simplify your life. Resolve personal
conflicts, resign from some committees or personal
commitments. Take time to de-clutter your desk,
office and your life.

2. Daily Discipline. Discipline has a gotten a
bad rap, and I often prefer the term "self-direction,"
but whatever you call it, there is no success without
the ability to control your personal impulses. In a
world of increasing temptations and distractions, high
achievers know what they want to accomplish and
they have the ability to stay "on task."

Successful people quickly develop a system for
planning their days, writing down their top priorities,
and delaying (or ignoring) the thousand and one daily
temptations to do "something else." They know
the "tyranny of the urgent" is very real. The ringing
telephone, the "brief" conversations in the hall, that
quick errand or lunch with a friend all threaten to
interrupt us, and once our productivity and "flow" are
interrupted, getting back on task can be difficult.

High achievers work from a schedule. They review
their goals and priorities every morning, re-commit to
achieving them, and have an attitude of
self-discipline about moving forward. So should
you.

3. Trust the Magic of Small Steps. Finally,
high achievers understand a strange paradox in life,
that often small steps can achieve better and
longer-lasting results than giant leaps. They
understand the fable of the "tortoise and the hare."
They know that too often, "haste makes waste." In
their eagerness to get things done, they know the
value of small steps.

Highly successful people know that often the
quickest way to wealth is a slow, steady routine of
regular savings and investment. They know that
building a business requires that each step be taken
with care and precision, so they take time to plan,
think, and consider their options. They know
that "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" and
that "Rome wasn't built in a day."

One of my favorite examples is that health and
fitness cannot be obtained by one dramatic work-out
that leaves us stiff and sore the next morning.
Rather, fitness is the result of work-outs that are
challenging, fun, effective and repeated
daily.

Achieving more in life is actually not "hard." It does,
however, require an understanding of basic principles
and the discipline to put them into practice. There
are lots of tips and tricks that can be useful, but the
basics never change. De-clutter your life so you can
focus on "first things." Practice personal
self-discipline to can take control of your own life.
And finally, master the paradox of running life's
marathon one small step at a time.

Copyright(c) 2006, all rights reserved. Dr. Philip E.
Humbert, professional coach, author and popular
speaker. He has an excellent weekly newsletter and I
encourage you to subscribe at:
http://www.philiphumbert.com

COACHING CALL TO ACTION

A new client of mine e-mailed this week to say
her energy was soaring. She had taken baby steps
to finish incomplete tasks that had been draining her
energy. In coaching terms we call these incomplete
tasks "tolerations". Much of what keeps us from
focusing on the "first things" first is all of the stuff in
our life that keeps swirling and grabbing our
attention. This week take the time to clear out
some of the clutter so that you can focus on your
priorities more easily. Then, take steps to move your
plan forward.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

October 19, 2006Pounce on a Project IX-- 2006

Last month our focus was cleaning up space,
computers and drawers and finishing projects. The
group motivation was flowing. We all felt lighter at
the end of the session. What project would you like
to get on top of and accomplish this month? Come to
Pounce on a Project IX -- 2006. Join
Coach Andrea on Thursday, October 19th, from 9:00
a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Eastern. We will join as a group
by phone and declare what you want to accomplish:
completing a marketing brochure, filing that pile in
the corner that keeps growing, getting your website
finished, complete a client project or make cold
calls.

During the morning, the group will gather by phone a
few times to check progress and get any support
needed to finish with a bang. At noon, the group will
celebrate their accomplishments. Who says projects
have to be boring and tedious? Bring your lightness
and fun and join us for the energization. To sign up
or learn more, call or e-mail Andrea by noon on
Wednesday, October 18th. Feel free to share this
with friends and co-workers, the more the merrier.
(Cost of the program is only the cost of long
distance phone calls.)

ABOUT ANDREA NOVAKOWSKI

Coach Andrea's Coaching Tip of the Week is
brought to you by Andrea Novakowski, Master
Certified Coach who provides Business and Personal
Coaching to Executives, Small Business Owners,
Professionals and Managers. Andrea is a professional
coach who partners with people to set goals and
create momentum to produce effective results in
their business and/or personal lives.

Andrea is
available for individual coaching. If you are
serious about reaching your goals and living with
greater fulfillment and satisfaction, consider using a
coach. To schedule a COMPLIMENTARY initial
consultation, send an e-mail to Andrea at
andrea@coachandrea.com.

PASS IT ON

Please feel free to pass on Coach Andrea's
Coaching Tip of the Week to your friends and
colleagues. If you need to get in contact with us
directly for any reason, send an e-mail to
andrea@coachandrea.com.

Sign up to receive a free weekly tip from Coach Andrea. These tips provide thought provoking and inspirational ideas on business and life issues. We
will also let you know what's new at http://coachandrea.com.